Deadly train-bus collision in Indonesia

JAKARTA: A commuter train slammed into a passenger minibus at a railroad crossing in Indonesia’s capital on Sunday, killing at least 18 people and seriously injuring six others.

The bus driver allegedly ignored the warning signals when he crossed the rail tracks and was rammed by the train in western Jakarta, said Tambora neighbourhood police chief Wirdhanto.

The shattered bus was seen lying on the tracks after it was dragged by the train up to a nearby platform, about 300 metres from the collision site.

Wirdhanto, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, said 13 people in the minibus were killed instantly and others died in a hospital.

He said none of passengers travelling in the train’s eight cars were hurt, and all rail signals were working at the time of the crash. The train was headed to Jakarta’s neighbouring town of Bogor with about 400 passengers.